I Am Afraid - Pete Townshend

RUTH:

Um, I’ll see you tomorrow.

I might be a bit late, but I will be there this time.

Uh, so, call me back tonight.

Anyway… okay?

I stand beside you

I face the future

I’ll admit to you

I am afraid

I am afraid

As I stand beside you

I have denied you

I am afraid

I am not drunk now

I am not pilled down

My windows wound down

I am not brainwashed

I am not running

I am not hiding

My bet’s still riding

I am afraid

I swing you high-o

I swing you low-a

I see your eye-o

I see you grow-a

I hear you crying

Your brother’s dying

Be no more lying

I am afraid

RUTH:

Well, who’d have thought it?

Thanks to my exposé, all hell broke loose for Ray

High as the «Porno Pen Pal» story burst upon us this week.

It started

harmlessly enough when pretty American fifteen-year-old Rosalind Nathan wrote

to her pop hero, Ray High

I am afraid

As I stand beside you

I have denied you

I am afraid

I stand beside you

I face the future

I’ll admit to you

I am afraid

By my religion

I stand here naked

I cannot fake it

With God as witness

My little children

Who wait for feeding

I watch you bleeding

I am afraid

I am afraid

As I stand beside you

I have denied you

I am afraid

I stand beside you

I face the future

I’ll admit to you

I am afraid

RUTH:

High, one-time psychedelic flower child, now turned alcoholic vegetable,

frantically encouraged a sordid series of what can only be described as «letters».

This steamy correspondence climaxed in this wide-eyed,

innocent fourteen-year-old's now infamous photo, with its suggestion of

nakedness, underage necrophilia, and incest.

High issued a series of what can

only be described as «instructions» by return-of-post, allegedly inducting this

vulnerable little waif into his so-called secrets of stardom.

She opened her

heart to him, she loved to sing, but he seized upon her gullibility to test out

his weird theories.

Why did he encourage her?

What was he after?

Was she pushed?

I think we should be told.

Now there’s been a dramatic new development.

Although Ray High’s albums have been re-released this week, decent normal

people will be more interested in young Rosalind.

She’s a brilliant songwriter,

a brilliant singer, and with my help, has just released a brilliant new record.

I predict a smash hit for this talented, sexy, nubile young singer so rudely

abused by that slimeball, Ray High

RAY:

What the fuck are you doing here, Ruth?

You’ve come to gloat, have you?

RUTH:

I’m with Rastus

RAY:

Rastus… You… Rastus?

RUTH:

Yeah, I’m staying here as his guest.

He’s worried about the scandal.

Thinks it could be the end of you